Florida State is making a significant move in its front office rebuild, bringing in Taylor Edwards as executive director of player acquisitions. The hire marks another strategic step in what’s becoming a full-scale overhaul of the Seminoles' personnel department - and it’s one that could have ripple effects across the ACC.
Edwards comes to Tallahassee after a brief but notable stint at Miami, where he held a high-level personnel role. While his time with the Hurricanes was short, the insight he gained into their recruiting strategies could prove invaluable at Florida State - especially as the Seminoles look to sharpen their competitive edge in the ever-intensifying race for talent.
This move is part of a broader restructuring that also includes the expected addition of John Garrett as general manager, a position that will oversee the program’s front-office operations. These changes were set in motion after longtime FSU personnel chief Darrick Yray departed for the same role at UCLA, leaving a leadership void the Seminoles have moved quickly to fill.
College football’s arms race in off-the-field staffing has never been more intense. Programs across the country are building out NFL-style front offices, and Florida State is clearly signaling it doesn’t plan to be left behind. The addition of Edwards brings both experience and versatility to the table - two traits that are becoming non-negotiables in today’s recruiting environment.
Edwards’ résumé reads like a tour through the heart of college football’s recruiting machine. He got his start in 2013 at Jacksonville State in operations and personnel, then moved to UAB in 2014 as director of recruiting. From there, it was on to Samford, before landing on Nick Saban’s staff at Alabama in 2017 - a place where many top personnel minds have cut their teeth.
His climb continued with a stop at Arkansas in 2018, where he helped Chad Morris’ staff pull in a top-25 recruiting class despite coming off a 2-10 season. That kind of result speaks to Edwards’ ability to sell a vision, even when the on-field product hasn’t caught up yet. He followed that with two years at Maryland under Mike Locksley, serving as director of recruiting operations, before joining Shane Beamer’s first staff at South Carolina in 2021.
Edwards’ time in Columbia came to an end in 2024 after South Carolina self-reported a Level III NCAA violation tied to his actions. The infraction involved sending recruiting materials to a player before that player had officially entered the transfer portal. The fallout included a one-week recruiting ban, a four-day reduction in spring recruiting days, and additional rules education - a reminder of how tight the margins are in modern recruiting.
In early 2025, Edwards was expected to join Bill Belichick’s staff at North Carolina, but instead opted for Miami. Now, less than a year later, he’s headed to Florida State - a move that not only strengthens the Seminoles’ infrastructure but also adds a layer of intrigue to the in-state recruiting battles ahead.
For Florida State, this isn’t just about replacing a departed executive. It’s about evolving.
The Seminoles are aligning themselves with the sport’s new reality - one where front-office acumen is just as important as play-calling on Saturdays. Edwards brings a track record of adaptability, deep recruiting ties across the SEC and Big Ten, and a familiarity with the high-stakes world of talent acquisition.
With John Garrett expected to lead the front office and Edwards overseeing player acquisitions, Florida State is building a foundation that mirrors the structure of successful NFL franchises. The goal is clear: streamline operations, elevate recruiting, and position the Seminoles to compete at the highest level - not just on the field, but behind the scenes as well.